150 chefs compete at annual culinary event

About 150 chefs from hotels, resorts and restaurants across the country are competing in the Moffat Fiji Chefs competition which started yesterday at the Fiji National University's Namaka Campus, Nadi.

Fiji Chefs Association executive committee member Laite Cavalevu said the winners could book themselves seats in the annual World Association of Chefs Societies competition.

"We used to be part of the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association's trade show HOTEC, but we decided to hold a stand-alone event as of this year because we wanted the focus to be on our local young chefs without the distractions of the trade event," she said.

"This event is held to bring out the best in our young chefs in a very competitive environment.

"This does two things — it helps them think outside of the box when preparing their meals and it also gives them an idea of what the World Chefs events are like."

Mrs Cavalevu said this year there was a focus on using local ingredients.

"We are encouraging the competitors to use local produce and prepare dishes which are local in taste but international in presentation."

Judges from the World Association of Chefs Societies are adjudicating at the event which ends on Friday.